Momentary Hesitation
by Danielle Arble
Summary: Constant Vigilance! This story contains HBP spoilers. I have total faith in two of my favorite characters. What happened after the flight of our prince.


Constant Vigilance! This story contains HBP spoilers.

I'm sorry. But right now there is no title or any real plot except helping me know that two of my favorite characters are NOT EVIL! . I just NEEDED to write this so that I could believe it myself. I think that I am actually going to make this a real story with a ship and everything but right now I think it just needs to be done.

This takes place during Chapter 29. I NEEDED this. I hope you guys agree with me that something like this HAD to happen

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_"Come to the right side Draco...you are not a killer..."_

_-Dumbledore. 592_

_Harry struggled to his feet, looking around groggily for his wand, hoping to give chase again, but even as his fingers fumbled in the grass, discarding twigs, he knew it would be too late, and sure enough, by the time he had located his wand, he turned only to see the hippogriff circling the gates. Snape had managed to Disapparate just beyond the school's boundaries._

_-HBP. 605_

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Severus Snape threw himself past the gate and Disapparated right before he landing on the ground. The world compressed and the tight feeling in his chest increase ten fold.

As soon as he felt ground beneath his feet, he staggered and fell to his knees, choking air back into his lungs.

"SNAPE!"

Three sets of black robes ran to his side. Snape ground his teeth before pushing himself up with his one good arm. The other hung useless inside it's ripped, blood spattered sleeve.

"We did it! Dumbledore had fallen!" shrieked a stocky woman in black robes standing next to him.

Snape gritted his teeth again as he stumbled to keep his footing. The were joyously speaking of their success, giddy with their excitement in front of him. He lifted his good arm to his shoulder and gave a look of pure hatred to the three.

"The Dark Lord will certainly favor us amongst all his others." Said the man next to her with a mad grin on his lips. "We've defeated the greatest wizard of the century!"

"You fool!" said the woman. "The Dark Lor--"

"On the light side of course Alecto." He replied quickly. "Dumbledore was week compared to our Lord."

Snape ground his teeth together and scowled as he looked for Draco, who he of course blamed as the cause of his present company.

The largest of the three roared with laughter. "Pathetic how he begged for his life at the end. The Dark Lo-"

"Where is Draco!" Snape snapped with a note of hysteria in his voice.

The three robed figures fell silent.

"The boy! Where is he! He was right in front of you!" snarled Snape.

The three stayed silent.

"Amycus! Alecto! Did he not design this whole plan? Is this where you were meeting after you…" Snape's face twisted in disgust. "after Draco's goal was accomplished?"

"Yes. This is where we planned to gather if the plan had failed and we had to make a run to Hogsmeade." The largest man grinned. "But of course, the plan was a complete success!" He grinned "I take it Draco told you as you were hopping over the ity bity kiddies."

Snape rebounded on the man, pointing his wand at his throat. "A _success?_"He roared. "You let Draco fall behind! Lord Voldemort will not be pleased!."

The three of them laughed, too pleased to flinch at the mention of their Lord.

"He will be pleased! Dumbledore's dead!" cried the woman. "That's all that mattered! It is more then the Dark Lord could have expected! Who would have thought the boy would have even have gotten us into the castle, nevertheless actually getting rid of that foul mudblo--"

Snape turned, a revolting look on his face and disapparated the woman's voice rolling in his head.

This time he appeared back to the shadows of the gate that lead back to Hogwarts. Back to a dead Dumbledore. Snape fell against the wall and swallowed his grunt of pain as his heavy shoulders hit the bricks. Taking a second to collect himself, he scanned the sky and then down the dark street of Hogsmeade then took out his wand and attempted to concentrate. He sang the incantation and felt the wound in his arm attempt at healing itself.

Taking another moment, Snape rested his head against the wall with his eyes closed and a weary expression on his face. With a low groan in the back of his throat, Snape stood up straight and pushed himself off the wall.

His black eyes swept the scene. The streets were dark and there appeared to be no sign of watchful window eyes. His gaze lingered on down the road waiting for the distinguished pop of Auror, after he was confident no one was there at the moment, he demanded his exhausted legs to carry him to the other concealed side of the gate. As he crossed by the open gates leading into Hogwarts, he betrayed himself by looking at the castle. He grimaced as he saw Dark Mark was still lingering in the sky above the Astronomy Tower, now truthfully marking the scene of a murder.

He looked away and picked up his speed till he came to a halt concealed again in the darkness. A sour spell surrounded the area and Snape drew closer into the dark. He could make out the faint sound of someone attempting to control their breathing but failing miserably.

"Draco."

A soft sob broke the silence.

"Get up you foolish boy." Snape said strolling closer and finding Draco Malfoy sitting with his knees pulled up. "You have accomplished the greatest feat of all of the Dark Lords followers. You have no right to be sniveling around. "

Draco said nothing but shook his head.

"I wanted to congratulate you on your success." Snape sneered. "It seems you were correct in assuming you needed no assistance from me. I'm glad you were able to confide in much more trustworthy people such as Fenrir Greyback and a pair of Death Eaters who failed to even remember your part of this whole brilliant plot. "

Draco began to shake harder now.

Snape could see even in the darkness that Draco's eyes were clenched shut and his face was even paler then usual. His normally sleek blonde hair was laying flat on his head, weighted down with perspiration. The wand at his side was discarded in something, which, Snape supposed was where the sour smell of vomit was coming from.

"Draco," Snape said with a hint of impatience. "You realize there is celebrating to be done." He towered over Draco now, his tone taking on a bit of insanity." The Dark Lord will be _so _pleased that you accomplished his orders so thoroughly Draco. You, all by yourself a mere sixteen-year-old boy, a Malfoy, but still, only sixteen, have managed to accomplish what no one had ever even dreamed of being possible."

Draco shook his head more violently and covered his ears as Snape began yelling. "_You _opened the doors to Hogwarts for the Death Eaters! _You _brilliantly were the one who led death and destruction into the one safe haven the wizarding community." Snape began crackling a horrible laugh. "You Draco Malfoy allowed a bloodthirsty werewolf to feed on your fellow students while you single-handedly disarmed and held the greatest headmaster Hogwart's has ever seen at your mercy."

Draco began to sob. "No…."

"Oh yes Draco." Snape said madly, the harsh lines of his face forming into a twisted smile. "Did you happen to catch that it was Longbottom you tripped over on the trip down?" How about we take bets on which of the students was smeared over Greyback's chin. I'm guessing Ms. Granger or perhaps Ms. Lovegood. I saw both of them on my way to you. Both seemed quite ready to protect their school from harm."

Draco shook his head harder and murmured "no" over and over again.

"Oh yes Draco. Congratulations." He backed off and stood straight with both hands balled tightly at his sides. He looked down at the cowering boy and fought the urge to spit on him. "Let's go then. The Dark Lord is no doubt waiting for word of what has happened. Your partners were in no hurry of sharing the glory. I'd doubt they mention your name."

Draco's eyes widened instantly. He attempted to choke out something

"What was that _Malfoy_" Snape spat. "Did you say something."

Draco gasped and gulped and strangled back anymore tears. "Sir…"

"Yes, have you got anything to say to _me_ Malfoy?" Snape jeered. "Oh my, you have such confidences as Greyback and a horde of Death Eaters to talk to, but now, after all is said and done, _you _want to say somethingto _me?"_

"Professor…please…" Draco sobbed slamming his fist weekly down on the dust street.

"Come Draco." Snape said calming almost instantly as a sudden weariness fell over him. "It is not safe for you here any longer."

Draco didn't move.

Snape looked down at the floor. "You succeeded far beyond anyone's expectations." His black eyes were filled with remorse. "The Dark Lord will be pleased"

Draco looked frightened, his eyes were stained red and his whole body was shaking. "Professor." He said his voice shaky.

"Yes Draco?" Snape said dejectedly

"I couldn't do it." Draco's voice wavered again. "I can't… Professor…Please…" Draco stood up suddenly his red streaked eyes dancing madly. "Tell them I was killed. Tell them I died when I battled Dumbledore…He's right…I'm not…I can't…"

Snape stepped back as if shocked. "You propose I do what?"

Draco, still shaking made his way closer to his potions professor. "Tell them I was killed by Dumbledore! No one would be surprised! They wanted me to die! Please! Professor! Tell them that I…"

"Draco your talking madness…"

"NO!" Draco roared as he stopped shaking. "HE SAID HE COULD HIDE ME!" He started to sob. "He said we could take mother…" Tears began streaming down his face. "I'm not a killer. He was right…"

Snape's heart was pounding loudly inside his chest.

"Draco…"

Draco looked up at him pleadingly. "Professor if you could just—"

"Dumbledore's dead Draco!" Snape snapped, suddenly more upset then he had been before. "Dumbledore's _dead. _You were there in the room very much alive when I…" Snape's face contorted and he winced in pain. "When he fell." His face hardened . "There where witnesses that saw you run from the castle grounds even before I escaped. Witnesses that you yourself invited to the castle."

"I didn't" breathed Draco. "I told him I didn't know they'd bring him." He began to sob again. "I never really wanted anyone hurt. It's not my fault. You have to believe me. He said he would kill me. He said he would…"

"I know Draco." Snape said softly, hesitant to reach out and comfort the boy whom was becoming a man much too soon.

Draco looked up suddenly his face full of fear. "Did you…" Whatever he was thinking seemed to scare him greatly. "Did you kill….Potter?" He rasped.

"No!" Snape said taken aback once again. "He is the Dark Lords. I would not even try to touch—"

Snape was immensely surprised to see the relief that swept over Draco's face.

"I, I thought that you might have…" Draco said tentivly. "I mean, after you told me to run, you were so angry, you looked…" He bowed his head, "as mad as ...him."

Snape chose not to comment on that particular statement. "You seemed relieved of the news of Potter's survival." Snape approached cautiously." A loyal servant of the Dark Lord would not sigh so heavy at this news."

Draco seemed just then to remember that his long time Head of House was no longer his professor. Severus Snape was no longer someone he could just confide in for his problems and certainly not someone he could tell his new hidden secrets to. Severus Snape was a faithful servant of the Dark Lord. A chill went up Draco's spine as he realized that Snape had _killed _Dumbledore. He had spied and worked against Dumbledore for as long as Draco had known of the man. He would have to watch his every word. They were now considered equals in the ranks of the Dark Lord.

Snape almost felt bad as he scanned the surface of Draco's thoughts. He looked Draco in the eyes and felt Draco recoil away from him. Feeling a small bubble of hope amongst all of the pain and anger he had bouncing inside him at the moment, he turned his back.

"Let us go Draco. The Dark Lord is waiting."

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Yea… I think I'll continue on with this one. I kinnda like what developed. SOOO

TBC...

Please leave a review!


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